Former Marijuana grow operations and drug houses are common in Metro Vancouver and the Fraser Valley. Many home buyers unknowingly purchase homes that were used as drug houses in the past and still contain drug residues, toxic mold or other contaminants. Landlords are often the victim of growers and require environmental testing before the house can be occupied again. ABM Environmental specializes in former marijuana grow-op and meth lab investigations, testing and cleaning. We can provide the information necessary for buyers, owners and residents of these buildings. All services are 100% confidential.

Why former grow ops and drug labs need testing

A marijuana grow operation keeps a building hot and humid for months, and the mold that results does not go away when the plants do — buildings shut down ten or more years ago can still carry toxic levels of mold behind new paint and new carpet. Contamination from the plants, altered wiring and ventilation, and structural damage from holes cut for ducting are common. Former meth labs leave chemical residues on surfaces that remain hazardous for years and cannot be seen or smelled. Neither problem is detected by a standard home inspection, and neither is fixed by cosmetic renovation.

Who requires the testing

• Municipalities in Metro Vancouver and the Fraser Valley routinely revoke the occupancy permit of a declared grow op or drug house and require professional testing, cleaning and clearance before it can be lived in again.
• Banks and mortgage lenders generally require recent environmental testing and a clearance report before financing a declared former grow op.
• Insurers may require documentation before writing or renewing a policy.
• Buyers who suspect a property’s history — in some areas of the region an estimated one in four houses has been used for growing at some point — and want to know before they commit.
• Landlords whose tenants ran a grow op and who need the building made safe and documented for the city and their insurer.

What we do

ABM Environmental provides the full sequence: inspection to identify signs of whether a building was used as a grow op or lab, environmental testing (air testing for mold, surface testing for drug residues, and water potability where relevant), a remediation and cleaning plan that meets the municipal requirements, and clearance testing with a written Testing Report and Certificate of Laboratory Analysis when the building is safe to occupy. Laboratory results are typically available within four business days with drug residues in about 1 week. Because a house that “passed” a previous test is not necessarily safe, we recommend buyers commission their own testing. All services are 100% confidential and our vehicles are unmarked. For more information or a quote fill out our online assessment form